The living room sessions chapter 2

“The Living Room Sessions”
A community of artists changing the face of pop culture In faith, love and revolt.

I have a list of favorite films that I just don’t get tired of watching. Every single time I watch these films again I see something new in the film. Films inspire me. Some stir my emotions, others make me laugh non stop. Every day people all over the world go sit in a theatre and watch a film. I wonder what certain films do to people? How they inspire them? How much of an influence are films in our culture? Could films change the way we live an think?  JS: Sam”stiky” Sanchez. We’ve known each other for quite some time. I wanna welcome you to the living room sessions.    We’ve worked on a few things together in the music scene, that was always fun.  I never knew you were into media/films, turns out you’re pretty darn good at it… So you went from living in  Chi town to Vegas, what’s up with that? And why do they call you Stiky? LOL
SS: Thanks for the welcoming. I have a design/ media company. One of our partners is a ministry called xxxchurch.com. We moved to Las Vegas to help launch a new project they have here called strip church. We were brought on board to help launch their new ministry. Stiky was something given to me by a good friend of mine … I still try to figure that one out. All I know is that after a while, “Sam” became weird to me.

JS:  What motivated you to get into film? What is the most important element in film making? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
SS: I wish I can honestly say I do film. I am still new to it and have a lot to learn. I have done a few music videos, commercials, docs and a couple actual short films (none which I am proud of yet). I’ve always enjoyed the visual arts. I took college art in high school with dreams to attend a fine arts school. I did graffiti as well as sketched. This form of art can be very lonely at times. I found I enjoy working with people and seeing stories and images come alive in another way. I did my first music video in high school and since than have been hooked. I wouldn’t say I was hooked because I loved it, but because it felt natural and comfortable to do. I found it was easier to get paid creating videos than clocking in and out of an ice cream shop or shoe store (both of which I did). It became a drug. I spent all my time finding ways to do it, when I got a chance to do it, it was like taking a hit. It’s all I can think and talk about.  I don’t know what the most important element in film making is, but what I am learning is that the more I am honest with myself and others, the more I ask questions and explore things I am afraid of, the better my communication and art gets.   I draw my inspiration from stories that I hear and things that happen in my life. Truths that I try to hold on to and believe will benefit others. Community. Humane attempts to explain God. Acts of service and love.
JS: What has your experience been like in today’s film culture?  What do you think it is lacking?
SS: I think my experience is just beginning when it comes to film. I do more media design and video production. Film and that are two separate things. I can say that there is a sweet culture that marries and welcomes the two. Our culture runs off this stuff (all the video sites and blogs online today). I think the original film culture is threatened by the new media culture and the new media culture things it understand film. In my personal life, I am in the process of transitioning from new media to film.  I think experience and open mindedness is lacking. Individuals must seek to understand and interpret things from a more global perspective rather than one point of view. If we do this, we can learn to communicate stories and ideas in ways that more will understand.
JS: How can film change today’s culture to one more aware of real issues  going on all around us?
SS: By more people taking risks and throwing that stuff online. Blog it, re blog others. Take time to watch a film and talk about it. Don’t stay away from a film just because your friends say it sucks. Don’t hate on a film just because you don’t agree with the message or the way it was created. I think there is something to learn from any film, especially when you HATE it…listen, it doesn’t have to be “deep” either.  I think there are two crowds, those who are influenced by film and those who use film to influence others, wherever you are, take time to process it, talk about, appreciate it and dissect it.  JS: what are you working on these days? Care to share any visions and dreams? What motivates you? What are your passions? And will there ever be a time you can sit back on your chair and say….I am successful…I did it? What would you say to our future film makers? Any advice? SS: I am currently working on a film entitled “Lady of the Evening.” It is the story of a Priest who struggles connecting with God through religion. He falls in love with a prostitute and can’t come to grips with anything, from God, faith to love, all of it becomes difficult because he is a man of the cloth.  My dream is to direct some of the sickest, most thought provoking films ever. I think to often we say something like “as long as it impacts one person I am happy”, I can proudly say that I don’t believe in that. To impact one person is not enough, I want the whole culture. But I recognize there is a place for everyone and don’t disrespect that approach.  I want the freedom to get into the mind of every character in every film and have them all communicate a message that will rock the viewer. My goal would be for the audience to come to a place where they are face to face with the realities of life and are put in a position where they must act and decide. Boy, I have more dreams than that….I want to own a vineyard, travel often, help fund micro financing projects and others who want to make other sorts of contributions to the world. I want to mentor someone and be mentored.  What motivates me is a broken world that needs healing. Redemption, the story of God loving Humanity. The story and life of Jesus.  My passions are my wife and family. Friends and laughter. Breaking bread with strangers, serving those who don’ trust me. Discovering truths and ATTEMPTING to communicate in a progressive culture. (I capitalized “attempting” because I don’t have it and quite frankly don’t want to have it figured out) I try to take every day at a time. Am I satisfied, not at all, there is so much to be done, but I have learned to live for the now and not the later. Doing this probably got me into a lot of trouble, but it has also freed me from tons as well.  JS: Where can people find out more about your films?
www.everyoneisarockstar.com www.difted.com